Servicing equipment for lubricating systems



Jan. 12, 1954 E. M. @REER ET AL sEEvIcING EQUIPMENT FOR LUBEICATING sYsTEMs Filed June 4, 1951 mnmmdm E E E .Ed 253mm@ Nh.

w s m .vw O exa N Tg2 ,rR N fw, 0. m MMM. A ,ab f rpm w23, QN mmv ObumAwm Stzw d 350528Z aB W @MM Nm w mm 6 4 Wmv @my ,/Q@ w35, @my mmv @whim @u zmwaw mmv wuzmmm ma Patented Jan. 12, 1954 SERVICIN G EQUIPMENT FOR LUBRICATING SYSTEMS Edward` M. Greer, West Hempstead, and: Carl Robert` Wetterau, Huntington, N. Y., assignors to Greer Hydraulics, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 4, 1951, Serial No. 229,801

Claims. (Cl. 1841.5) 1 2 This invention relates to servicing equipment figure is a diagrammatic view of the servicing andmore particularly to an equipment for cleaning the lubricating system of an aircraft and lling such system with oil'.

Asa conducive to an understanding of theinvention,. it is noted that when the oil` utilized in the lubricating system of aircraft becomes contaminated and breaks down with use, in order completely to clean the lubricating system before equipment.

The components which form the equipment now to be described may be mounted on a suitable truck or wagon (not shown), so that the unit may be transported from place to place as desired.

Referring now to the drawings, the equipment desirably comprises a` pair of liquid reservoirs fresh oil is put therein, it is generally flushed m Il and I2 which may be substantially identical with a suitable liquid. After this is done, the in construction. -nach of the reservoirs desirlubatng SYStem S thereupon Charged with oil ably has an immersion heater i3 therein conin conventional manner. Where the cleaning trolled by means of a suitable thermally conand charging of the lubricating system requires trolled switch It which may be set for any desired the `use of several servicemen and considerable la temperature, a meter I5 associated with each equipment which must be disconnected and reservoir indicating the temperature of the conreconnected, the' operation. is time-consuming and tents thereof. difficult. In` addition, where the engine of an The reservoirs Hand I2 each has an inlet line aircraft. hasy been standing idle in cold climate, n( l1 and la and an out-.let line I9 and 2l which the lubricating oil used therein often becomes W are connected, respectively, to selector valves 22 highly Viscous or even freezes and the engine and 23, desirably ganged together as at 24 so cannot be used until such Oil is heated Sufolntly as t0 operate in, unison, said valves having a. to ow freely through the system. return line 25 and a feed line 26 connected thereto ft S` accordingly ammlg the objects of the m respectively. Each of the selector valves is desirinventon to provide a relatively simple. comably of the type which permits either one of the pact equipment which requires the use of but reservoirs to be cut off While the other is cona single attendant and by the use of which the nected to the return line 25 and the feed line 2B. lubricating system of an aircraft may be cleaned The feed line 2B, is desirably connected to a and replaced with fresh oil without need for disfilter. 3l and thence by line 32 to a pump 33 COImeCtillg the equipment Until SBIVCIlg of the which draws liquid from the feed line 26 and the aircraft has beencompleted. reservoir connected thereto, and forces. such liq- Althe Object is t0 provide an equipment for uid through line 34. The pump may be driven Warming the aiICraft engine without need for by suitablemeans such as an electric motor complicated and bulky tents or heating equipcontrolled through a starter 36 by means of a ment other than that used to heat the oil to be 35 push button 31. used in the lubricating system itself. Line 34. is connected through line 39 to a pres- According to the invention, the equipment sure operated relief valve 4| which: has a line 42 desirably comprisesl a pair of reservoirs, one of connected thereto and. leading into a line 43 which carries a ilushing liquid for cleaning the which in turn leads back to return line 25, the lubricating system of the aircraft, and the other 4i) latter desirably having a shut-olf val-ve 44 therein. of' which carries lubricating oil for such lubri- Valve 41' also has a line 45 connected thereto cating system. which leads into a main throttling or control The reservoirs are suitably connected through valve` 46. The output of valve 45 is desirably seiector valves so that either one or the other connected by line I9 to a pressure outlet 5|, a thereof may be connected to the lubricating sye- "ID pressure gauge 52 being connected to line 49 tem through a suitable pump which will force through a shut-off valve 53. In order that the such liquid into such lubricating system. The output of liquid` fromI pressure outlet 5I may be equipment includes a suction pump which may be concentrated in a controlled stream, a nozzle 54 connected to a discharge outlet of theflubricating 0 ofany suitable type is desirably connected thereto.

system to circulate thev liquid through such system and force such liquid back into the reservoir which is connectedto such system.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the severalfeatures of' the invention, the single A bleeder valve t1 is desirably interposed in line 45 and connected by line 45 to feed line` 2B so that the liquid in line 49 leading to the nozzle may be` drawn by gravity back into the reservoir H or'l 2.

The line 34 from the pump 33 is also connected through a line 55 to a main bypass valve 56 which in turn is connected by line 5l to line 43. In addition, line 55 is connected by line 58, a line restrictor 5B and line 6I to a line 62 which connects the inlet end of a suction pump 63 to the outlet of a lter 64, the outlet of said pump being desirably connected by line 65 to the line 43.

Although the pump 63 may be of any suitable type, it desirably is of the gear type, driven by means of a suitable electric motor' 66 controlled through a starter 6'! by means of a switch 66. A vacuum switch 69 is desirably connected by line 'I0 to the outlet of lter 64 to control switch 68 through lead TI, switch 69 desirably having a warning light 'I2 connected thereto to indicate when the switch has functioned.

The filter 64, which desirably has a normally closed valve 'i5 connected thereacross by lines 'I4 and 15, has its inlet connected by line 'F6 to a shut-off valve TI, the latter being connected by line 'I8 to a suction connection 13, which may have a suitable hose 86 connected thereto, a pressure gauge 8l being connected to line 'I8 through a shut-off valve 32.

To complete the system, the junction 83 between lines and 43 is connected by line 84 through Valve 85 and line 86 to a discharge outlet 81 which may have a suitable hose 68 con nected thereto.

Operation Although the equipment above described may be used in many ways, it is especially designed for use in servicing the oil lubricating system of an aircraft.

To this end, the operator or serviceman need merely open the cover of the oil tank (not shown) in the lubricating system of the aircraft and in sert the nozzle 54 thereinto. The hose 80 is then connected to a discharge outlet (not shown) which may be in the return line of the lubricating system, said return line being commonly provided with valve means to cut off the oil tank from such return line, or such discharge outlet may be at some point in the lubricating system between the various elements that are being lubricated. The flushing liquid in the reservoir II may then be heated by connecting the immersion heater I3 to a source of potential, the thermally operated switch I4 maintaining the temperature of such liquid at any desired amount which will be indicated on the meter I5.

The equipment is then adjusted so that the selector valves 22 and 23 are in position to connect lines I'I and I 5 of reservoir II to lines 25 and 26. The valve 44 is opened and valve 85 is closed as is the valve I3 Icy-passing the filter 64. The valves 46 and 56 are opened as far as possible, as are the valves 53 and 82 After the liquid in the reservoir II has heated sufficiently, as indicated on gauge I5, the motors and 66 are energized by means of the associated switches 31 and 63. The energization of motor 35 will cause the pump 33 to draw the flushing liquid from reservoir Il through line I9, selector valve 23, line 26, lter 3I, line 32, pump 33, lines 54 and 39, through relief valve 4I, line and valve 46 to line 49 which is connected to the outlet 5I so that the iiushing liquid will be forced through nozzle 54 into the oil tank of the aircraft.

The main by-pass valve 56 is thereupon adjusted, slightly to close the latter to decrease the II. As a result, a greater volume of liquid will be forced through the nozzle 54 and this will be indicated by an increase of pressure on the gauge 52, the valve 56 being adjusted until a desired pressure is indicated on said gauge 52.

In the event it is desired to havea relatively fine spray from the nozzle 54, with both the valves 56 and 46 wide open, such fine spray is not achieved. It is merely necessary to reduce the ilow through valve 46 by slightly closing the latter until the desired pressure for such ne spray is indicated on gauge 52. With the flow of flushing liquid through nozzle 54 adjusted as desired, the serviceman may then move the nozzle 54 around in the tank in the aircraft thoroughly to clean the latter.

By reason of the suction pump 63 which is connected to the discharge outlet (not shown), of the lubricating system in the aircraft (illustratively the discharge outlet located in the return line of such lubricating system in which case a valve [not shown] in such return line is operated to cut off the oil tank therefrom), a suction will be created in the lubricating system of the aircraft which will cause the flushing liquid to be drawn from the oil tank and circulated through the lubricating system thoroughly to clean the latter. The flushing liquid will be drawn through the return outlet 19, line 18, normally open valve TI, line 76, filter 64, line 62 through suction pump 63, lines 65, 43, 25, open valve 44, selector valve 22 and line II back into the reservoir II. As a result, a continuous circuit will be provided through which the flushing liquid may oW so that the lubricating system may be thoroughly cleaned.

By reason of the relatively large capacity of the reservoir II with respect to the capacity of the lubricating system, and by reason of the interposition of the lter 64, the flushing liquid may be used for a long period of time before it will become so contaminated and lled with debris that it can no longer be used.

In the event that the oil in the lubricating systern of the aircraft before it is flushed, is cold and extremely viscous, it will not readily flow through the filter 64 upon operation of the suction pump 63, and as a result, the latter will build up an extremely high vacuum. To prevent injury to the pump, when the vacuum has built up to a predetermined amount, which will be indicated on gauge 8|, it will, through line 'I0 operate the Vacuum switch 69 to cut off the switch 63 and de-energize the suction motor 66, such cut-off being indicated by the warning lamp 'I2 associated with the vacuum switch. When this occurs, it will be necessary to stop the pump "35 and heat up the aircraft engine in conventional manner in order that the viscosity of the lubricating oil therein may be reduced.

Where the oil in the aircraft is of sufdciently low viscosity to flow through the lubricating system of the aircraft, yet teo viscous to flow freely through filter 64, the vacuum switch 69 will also operate. In such case it is merely necessary for the serviceman to open valve 13, thereby to by-pass the lter. As a result the oil from the aircraft will flow through the system and after it has been gradually warmed up by the heated flushing liquid, the by-pass valve 'I3 may be again closed so that the lter 64 is again in the system.

In the event that no liquid should flow through the iilter 64 or the by-pass valve 'I3 such as where the oil in the lubricating system of the plane is frozen, no oil would normally flow through fthe suction pump. Assit Ais `necessary".that'gear "pumps .of :this "type :be lubricated :at .all times,

means are provided to feed oil to the purnpfwhen Ino :toil isdlowingfrom-:the aircraft. Such means V:is 'aiord'ed .by the :lines L58, -rBI an'diline restrictor Vlill. Thus, in the event :that the flow of liquid to `the pump 6.3 should be cut nii', 1.the :suction created .by the :pump will :increase suiliciently to "cause oil to from 'line 34 `through line `515,

:merely `turn zoi motor 35;. `This will `permit nthe :suction pump 63 todrain substantially all of the flushing liquid :from 'the lubricating lsystem `of 'the aircraft. `At this time the operator then .i'naymove `the selector -valves 22 and 123 to conn'ect the oilireservoir l2 l-to `the system and l"out 'Ehe pump 33 may then Ain such line .is 'opened so that the `oil tank will .again be in communication `with the return line `for `norrnal operation of lthe lubricating system.

il-t is to be noted that 4if it is `desiredto drain the oil Afrom the lubricating system of the aircraft without circulating .it baclrin'to the liquid reservoir il., it is :merely necessary to shut on' return valve 44 and `open valve B5. As a vresult the oil will be forced by the suction pump 63 .through -lines 43, B4, val-ve 85 and outlet B1 through hose `88 `inte any suitable container.

With the equipment :above described, the lubricating system of an `aircraft :may readily be cleaned and without'need for `disconnecting the equipment, a supply `ci fresh oil preheated to a desired temperature may be forced through the lubricating system to fill the latter..

The equipment is especially useful `for 'aiding in the Warm-up `of .aircraft in .cold temperatures.

In such cases, ev-.en though the engines mai,r start, :by reasonioi the freezing vof the lubricating oil, :the engine fill .not be lubricated and hence would becomev infured. It yconsequently the `usual practice to heat the engine by suitable means Vsuoli as by placing a cover over the engine, so that it may 'be warmed with electric blowers or the like.

With the equipment above described, the .aircraft when it is on the ground, may have its lubricating system drained. lWhen it .is desired .to use the aircraft, 'it is merely necessary to force'preheated oil .from the reservoir 'i2 through the lubricating system of Vthe aircraft and circu late 'such cil as previously described .until .the rengine temperature has reached the desired amount. With this equipment the `need 'for com- `plicated and `.cun'ibersome tents to heat the aircraft .is dispensed with asis the time and effort required vfor this purpose. The system herein described will effect the Warming of the aircraft engine in but a short period of time and with the need of but a `single operator.

`As many changes could Vbe made in the above construction, and manyxapparently widely diilerenteem'hcdimentsfzof this invention `could betmade i lWithout aiieparting `from 4the scope `oi the claims, it is intended that a'll matter contained inthe above :description forshown 'in the 4accompanying :drawings 'shall be :interpreted as `illustrative vand `not in a 7limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what vwe -claimas new l'andcdesire to secure by Letters Patzent fo'f :United States is:

al. :Equipment of? the 4character described. `ccmprising a ;pa=ir 'of reservoirs, each having an inlet and an routlet, aipump, a selector valve to com meet-.eitherzone'ortheiother of said'outlets to the :input :of :said .'pump, a discharge line connected :to f.thefoutput fof :said pump, a control Valve in said :discharge oline, sa ,second pump, an intake aconnectedttothe input 4.of said second pump, 'a Tatum line connected .to the output .of said second pumpyafsecond selector' valve to :connect said `fre'turn Eline to Leitner one `or the other `of :saidinletsof reservoirs, whereby liquid may beriocced :into itheassociated reservoir, a by-pass line iconnectedzat che end to said discharge line between 'the `output-fof said first pump and the control `valve `fin said discharge line and con- `nected at its other 'end vto the return line between the output of said second pump and said second :selector calvo, and a valve in said by` -ss aime.

'The combination set forth in claim l in :a pressure gauge is connected to said dis-u charge `iine bet-Ween the valve therein `and the outlet end `of said line.

Equipment of the character described comprising a pair of reservoirs each having an inlet and `an outlet, a pump, a selector valve to `conneet either one vor the other `of said `outlets to the :input oi said pump, a `discharge line connected to the output :of `said pump, a second pump, an .intake line connected to the input .of said second pump, a `return line Aconnected. to the output `ci? .said second pump, a second selector valve to connect said return line to either one :or the Aother of said inlets, whereby liquid may `be forced in'to the 'associated reservoir, a pressure relief Avalve in said :discharge line between the output of 4said `first :pump and the outlet end fof said line and a pressure reliefline .connected at one end to said pressure relief valve and .at its other fend lto .the `return line between rthe output `oi .said second 'pump and said second selector valve.

4. Equipment'of the character described comprising apair of reservoirs, each having an inlet land anioutletfa pump., a'seelctor valve to connect `eitherone or the other of. said outlets to the in put of said pump, 'a discharge line connected to Vthe voutput of said pump, a control valve in `said discharge line, a second pump, an. intake .line

2" `connected to the input of said second pump, a

return line :connected to the `output of said sec- `ond-pun1.;p,.-a second selector valve to 4connect said return line to either `one or the other of `said inlets `of said reservoirs, whereby liquid may be forcedinto the associated reservoir, a by-pass `line connected at one end to :said discharge line 4between the `output of said first pump and the control valve in Vsaid discharge line and ccnnected `at its other y.end to the return line be tween the output oi` said second pump and said second vselector valve, a Valve in said by-pass line, .a pressure .relief valve in said discharge .line between the output of said first pump and the control vVahle 'in said discharge line and a pressure relief line'connected at one end to said pressure relief valve and at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve.

5. Equipment of the character described comprising a pair of reservoirs, each having an inlet and an outlet, a pump, a selector valve to connect either one or the other of said outlets to the input of said pump, a discharge line connested to the output of said pump, a control valve in said discharge line, a second pump, an intake line connected to the input of said second pump, a return line connected to the output of said second pump, a second selector valve to connect said return line to either one or the other of said inlets of said reservoirs, whereby liquid may be forced into the associated reservoir, a bypass line connected at one end to said discharge line between the output of said first pump and the control valve in saiddischarge line and connected at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve, a valve in said by-pass line, and a lubricating line connected at one end to said by-pass line between the valve therein and said discharge line and at its other end to said intake line adjacent the input of said second pump.

6. Equipment of the character described comprising a pair of reservoirs each having an inlet and an outlet, a pump, a selector valve to connect either one or the other of said outlets to the input of said pump, a discharge line connected to the output of said pump, a second pump, an electric motor to drive said second pump, an intake line conected to the input of said second pump,

a filter in said intake line between the inlet end thereof and the input of said second pump, a line 'by-passing said filter, a valve in said ley-passing line, a vacuum safety switch, a line connecting said safety switch to the input of said second pump and electrical means from said safety switch to said electric motor to de-energize the latter when said safety switch is actuated, a return line connected to the output of said second pump, and a second selector valve to connect said return line to either one or the other of said inlets, whereby liquid may be forced into the associated reservoir.

7. Equipment of the character described comprising a pair of reservoirs, each having an inlet and an outlet, a pump, a selector valve to connect either one or the other of said outlets to the input of said pump, a discharge line connected to the output of said pump, a control valve in said discharge line, a second pump, an intake line connected to the input of said second pump, a return line connected to the output of said second pump, a second selector valve to connect said return line to either one or the other of said inlets of said reservoirs, whereby liquid may be forced into the associated reservoir, a by-pass line connected at one end to said discharge line between the output of said first pump and the control valve in said discharge line and connected at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve, a valve in said by-pass line, a pressure relief valve in said discharge line between the output of said first pump and the Icontrol valve in said discharge line, a pressure relief line connected at one end to saidpressure relief valve and at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve and a lubricating line connected at one end to said by-pass line 'between the valve CII 8 therein and said discharge line and at its other end to said intake line adjacent the input of said second pump.

8. Equipment of the character described comprising `a pair of reservoirs, each having an inlet and an outlet, a pump, a selector valve to connect either one or the other of said outlets to the inputof said pump, a discharge line connected to the output of said pump, a control valve in said discharge line, a second pump, an intake line connected to the input of said second pump, a filter in said intake line between the inlet end thereof and the input of said second pump, a line by-passing said filter, a valve in said by-passing line, a, return line connected to the output of said second pump, a second selector valve to connect said return line to either one or the other of said inlets of said reservoirs, whereby liquid may be forced into the associated reservoir, a by-pass line connected at one end to said discharge line between the output of said rst pump and the control valve in said discharge line and connected at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve, a valve in said by-pass line, a pressure relief valve in said discharge line between the output of said first pump and the control Valve in said discharge line, a pressure relief line connected at one end to said pressure relief valve and at its other end to the return line Ibetween the output of said second pump and said second selector valve, and a lubricating line connected at one end to said last-named by-pass line between the valve therein and said discharge line and at its other end to said intake line between the input of said second pump and said filter.

9. Equipment of the character described comprising a pair of reservoirs, each having an inlet and an outlet, a pump, a selector valve to connect either one or the other of said outlets to the input of said pump, a discharge line connected to the output of said pump, a control valve in said discharge line, a second pump, an electric motor to drive said second pump, an intake line connected to the input of said second pump, a filter in said intake line between the inlet end thereof and the input of said second pump, a line bypassing said iilter, a valve in said by-passing line, a vacuum safety switch, a line connecting said safety switch to the input of said second pump. electricalmeans from said safety switch to said electric motor to de-energize the latter when said safety switch is actuated, a return line connected to the output of said second pump, a secondselector valve to connect said return line to either one or the other of said inlets of said reservoirs, whereby liquid may be forced into the associated reservoir, a by-pass line connected at one end to said discharge linebetween the output of said first pump and the control valve in said discharge line and connected at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve, a valve in said lastnamed by-pass line, a pressure relief valve in said discharge line between the output of said first pump and the control valve in said discharge line, a pressure relief line 4connected at one end to said pressure relief valve and at its other end to the return line between the output of said second pump and said second selector valve, and a lubricating line connected 'at one end to said in and said discharge line and at its other end last-named `by-pass line between the valve therein and said discharge line and at its other end to said intake line between the input of said second pump and said filter.

2,oes,772

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in Number which said lubricating line has a line restrictor 2,187,413 therein. 2,222,516

` EDWARD M. GREER.

CARL ROBERT WETTERAU. 5

Number References Cited in the file of this patent 589,332 UNITED STATES PATENTS 688'072 Number Name Date 1,892,093 Battisteua. Dec. 2v, 1932 1 10 Name Date Boez Ja-n. 16, 1940 Powell Nov. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 2, 1947 France May 6, 1930 

